October 15, 2004
(Updated) Power Brokers, Light Rail, Backtalk, And Word From The Web
Your Friday Night Campaign Round-Up Action
Note: This post has been updated. Any and all updates appear at the end of the original post.
Not all that much by way of other outlets' campaign coverage to pass along, but we bet that if we decided to hold off on what there is, there would suddenly be a swarm of stories and we'd just end up falling behind. We'll begin with the Web Of Power™ lurking within the Francesconi campaign.
In Wednesday's edition of Willamette Week, the paper examined the mysterious Portland Tribune polls in the Mayoral race which are inconsistent with every other recent poll about which people have heard. They nicely point out that the Tribune is owned by Bob Pamplin Jr.
Pamplin is one of the larger contributors to the Francesconi campaign. Additionally, as the paper reports: "Pamplin will probably negotiate the cleanup and future maintenance costs of Ross Island, which he owns, with the city's next mayor."
That may strike a chord for some readers here who recall our item about Len Bergstein's role in the Francesconi campaign. While we are unsure whether or not he still works for Pamplin (one of those reasons why we need Sam Adams' suggestion for a City of Portland law requiring the registration of lobbyists), consumate insider and corporate lobbyist Len Bergstein has, in the past at least, worked with Pamplin on that very set of Ross Island issues.
We understand all about Portland's notorious two degrees of separation and all. But hopefully we'll be forgiven if he hold our nose against the stink of the appearance of impropriety in all of that. And yes, we will make sure to dutifully report that the polling firm in question says they are as confused as everyone else about their poll results.
For what it's worth, this is what Research 2000 told us when we asked them about their sampling process in these polls:
Thank you for your inquiry about our polls in the city of Portland. All of our likely voter polls consist of 2-3 screeners. I say 2-3 screeners because when we conduct a poll four months before a primary or a general election, our third screener is not appropriate due to the period of time between the polling and the primary/general election.
The first two screeners which are asked in the beginning of the poll are consistent for any type of voter poll be it national, statewide or local. These two screeners determine the likely voter based on how often they vote when there is a state or local election. The sample is determined based on voter registration by county if it is a state wide poll or legislative or council district, or wards if it is a county or city poll. Quotas will be assigned to reflect the actual registration as well as projected turnout based on past races.
Make of that what you will, although we admit to being perplexed about the reference to not using one screener for polls "four months" before an election, since these polls weren't conducted four months before an election. They then proceed to not explain the third screener at all, which obviously would have been used in a poll taken less than four months before an election, leaving it a complete unknown. But, whatever.
Moving along to yesterday's Portland Mercury, which published a pre-endorsement report. For our purposes, we want to direct your attention to the final item, which discusses the politics of light rail on the transit mall. It's slightly convoluted, but understandable, and more than a little cynical -- but in one of those mostly appropriate ways.
Today's Portland Tribune published a pair of Q&A sessions with Adams and his opponent Nick Fish -- one with Fish's answers and Adams' responses to them, and the other with Adams' answers and Fish's responses to them.
Out on the Web, we have Potter unmasking another distortion by Francesconi, Fish pimping his WW endorsements, and Adams pimping our endorsement.
And the last word goes to the Web as well. As of this posting, the final reader comment to this Livejournal thread sums up the Commissioner No. 1 race (sort of) this way: "Sam Adams makes beer. Nicked fish attract sharks. I'd rather have the beer."
Update
This from Research 2000 as to the nature of the third screener: "The third screener is simply which statement best describes what you will do on November 2nd. If the respondent does not affirm the following, they are terminated: I will definitely vote, or I will probably vote."
Update
Left out of this item was Friday's "City Matters" column, mainly because we couldn't find it online until just now when it showed up in one of the Google email alerts we get.
Comments (3)
Karin on 16 Oct 2004
I find it very ironic that Phil Busse, who is currently working on a project with Jim Francesconi, implies in the most recent issue of the Portland Mercury that Tom Potter has sold out.
Coincidence? I don't think so.
Phil Busse on 18 Oct 2004
Thanks for your comment on Portland Communique. Yes, I am working on an ordinance with Francesconi. The ordinance concerns giving credits for license fees to businesses that hire at-risk youth (16-24 year olds).
The idea is based on a program currently in play at Pasta Bangs. When I went to review the restaurant for the Mercury, I was inspired by the program there (where homeless youth are hired part-time to get on their feet). I wanted to “institutionalize” and reward that type of program. I brought the idea to Jim, who has worked with at-risk youth. He was the only other candidate that I ever saw in regular attendance at gang summits.
After being defeated in the primary, I pledged to keep working to push forward programs and projects. I am doing so. I also am working with several artist organizations and bands on other projects, and hope that I’ll have the opportunity to work with other council members to push forward even more ordinances.
You seem to have some sort of inference that my working Jim clouds my journalist judgment. I also truly don't understand the suggestion that I "sold out." Because I'm working on helping set up an employment program for at-risk youth, an issue that I've worked on for the past decade? Because I'm running a citizen involvement group on a volunteer basis (when I'm not plowing my own money into it)?
If so, so be it. But at least have the good graces to consider the full story.
Phil Busse
StevenA on 20 Oct 2004
Phil Busse must have misunderstood. Karin didn't say Phil had sold out, but that he implied in the Mercury “that Tom Potter has sold out”.
Phil’s insinuation in the Mercury that Potter was swayed by developer money is illogical in light of his campaign’s across-the-board $100 per person limit.
Steven Alexander